The Prison Guard

Author's Note: Although the stories in the universe of Captain Finnian and Quixly build off of each other, I try to make each one a good individual story as well so anyone can pop in at any time and still enjoy them. This story is a bit of an exception to that rule. While it does work on its own, I highly encourage you to go back and at least read the story "The False Star" before you read this one for context. You can find all the stories in this universe outlined in my bio. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!



Master Zvonix sat in his cell and frowned. It had been three months since the intergalactic police force swarmed his star-sized space station, destroyed everything, and threw him in the highest security prison this side of Galaxy Dsomplort. You try to take over the universe one time and everyone freaks out. It’s not like he had even done anything yet. Well, there were all those people he had killed and imprisoned on his space station, but still, his main plans of destruction and domination hadn’t even begun. He felt like 10 life sentences in this inescapable prison was a little too harsh. 

It wasn’t the police he was mad at though. It was the people who had escaped his space station and reported him to the police that he hated. His old assistant Bronxin, and those two pathetic photographers he couldn’t remember the names of. Of course, he didn’t have complete proof that they had turned him in, but Master Zvonix was as clever as he was evil. One moment Bronxin and those picture taking losers were on his space station, and the next they were gone. A few hours later the place was overrun by police. So, Master Zvonix didn’t have proof, but he still knew who had done it. 

On the bright side, Bronxin’s escape and betrayal gave him a new purpose, and the variety was refreshing. After so many years of trying to take over the universe, he had a new goal in mind. Find Bronxin and his scummy friends and kill them. Of course, he’d then continue his work of taking over the universe after that, but for now, the change of pace was exciting. It had been a while since he’d had people he’d wanted to kill so badly. But he couldn’t get too far ahead of himself, first he needed to escape from this blasted place.

He looked around his cell once again and reviewed what he knew about his prison. The prison itself was on an asteroid that flew through space at an unknown speed and direction. He had a general idea of which part of the galaxy he was in, but that was all. The intergalactic police all went under extreme navigation training to track the asteroid and its location, because navigation technology of any kind was banned at the prison. Thus, even if Master Zvonix could get out of his cell and into a spaceship, he’d have no way of knowing where he was or where to go. 

Getting out of his cell would be even more difficult though. The walls were three feet thick and made of Waqitill steel, one of the hardest metals known in existence. Once every day his cell door would open, and one of the guards would give him his allotted food and water. Although the door itself opened, there were still 6-inch-thick bars and high intensity lasers that made it impossible for him to leave. The gap in the bars and lasers was enough for the food to get through, but much too small for any person, especially someone of his size.

Master Zvonix liked mass destruction as much as the next evil mastermind, but he knew he’d never escape through physical force. That was fine with him though. He was also a big fan of manipulation. And he was good at it, too.

Suddenly, he heard gears in the wall start to turn, and his cell door slowly started to open. Master Zvonix put on a kind, humble smile, and waited for Roog, his personal guard, to give him his meal.

Once the door was fully open, Master Zvonix stood up and waved as Roog walked closer. “Roog!” He said with excitement. “It’s so good to see you, my friend! It’s your daily visits that keep me going in such a depressing place. How was your day, yesterday?”

Roog smiled. Before meeting Master Zvonix, he had heard terrible things about the supposedly violent and sadistic man. He looked the part too, a hulking figure that was almost more robot than person. However, since meeting him, Roog couldn’t help but like the guy. Heck, he even looked up to him now. After all, he’d only ever been friendly and humble since being in prison. That was more than Roog could say about his superiors. It was hard to believe that most of those rumors about Master Zvonix were true.

“It was a good day, thanks for asking, Zvonix.” Roog said as he slid the food through the bars. Master Zvonix expertly hid his dissatisfaction at the lack of title in his name. Roog was actually supposed to address him only as “Prisoner 1134,” but over the past few months he’d gotten him to break that rule and address him by his name. He was still working to get him to call him “Master Zvonix,” but that wasn’t the most urgent battle.

“I’m so glad to hear that you had a good day!” Master Zvonix replied, taking his food and placing it to the side so he could continue to converse with his guard. “Remind me, is today the day that you’re applying for that promotion?”

“Wow, it is! I can’t believe you remembered that!” Roog replied. Master Zvonix had actually been the one who encouraged him to apply for the promotion in the first place, but he did skillfully enough that Roog had thought it was his own idea. “I’m gonna go meet with my supervisors right after this and talk about it. By this time tomorrow I could be a senior prison guard!”

“Well, you deserve it!” Master Zvonix said. “As a leader myself, I know potential when I see it. And you, Roog, are among the most visionary and talented men I’ve ever met. I truly hope you get this promotion, and I’m excited to celebrate with you tomorrow!”

“Thank you so much, Zvonix. Your support and encouragement mean so much to me. It’s hard to get that from most others around here.” Right then the gears started turning, and the door started to close again. It automatically closed after being open for one minute as an extra safety measure.

“Good luck, my friend!” Master Zvonix said. “I’m looking forward to some good news tomorrow!” With that the door closed, and Master Zvonix sat down to eat.

As he ate the bland slop, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the gullible Roog talking with his supervisors. Roog was sloppy and dumb, and he had no doubt that the promotion would go to someone much more qualified. But that all played very well into Master Zvonix’s hands. 

The next day, the door opened and Master Zvonix stood up with excitement. “Roog! Or should I call you, Senior Prison Guard Roog now?”

As Master Zvonix expected, Roog put his head down in shame. “I didn’t get the promotion.” He mumbled, obviously sad and embarrassed.

“Oh no!” Master Zvonix gasped. “But how can that be? There must have been some mistake, you’re the most talented guard here! Your superiors must be blind to not see that!”

“Right!?” Roog exclaimed, glad to finally talk to someone who understood him. “I work my butt off every day, and no one here appreciates me!”

“I’ll say!” Master Zvonix said. “You deserve so much better!”

“Yeah, I do! I’m sick and tired of working for people who treat me like scum!”

“They don’t see the obvious potential in front of them!” 

“I hate working for them!”

It was time for Master Zvonix to start moving things forwards. “I’d hate it too! You deserve to work for someone who sees your true potential! Someone who understands you and appreciates you! Someone who will lift you up to help you make a real difference in this universe. You need to work for a master who will turn you into the man you are capable of becoming!” 

There was silence for a moment as the weight of those words sank in. Master Zvonix hoped he had played his cards right, and he hoped the imbecile in front of him could connect those last few dots on his own.

Roog nodded once, and then nodded again. “You’re right, I do need to work for a master of leadership and vision, who appreciates me and who can help me. A master. Hmmm.” 

Another moment of silence, and then Roog connected the final dots. “Master Zvonix! You’re a master in all those things! You have always valued and appreciated me! You see my potential like no one else does! I could work for you in your quest for universal peace and prosperity!”

Master Zvonix put on a face of surprise, although he was cheering for his own genius on the inside. “Work for me? But Roog, you already know that my quest for universal peace and prosperity is over. As much as I’d like to continue that essential work, I’m stuck in this prison for the rest of my life. I suppose we’re both stuck here in our own ways.”

Roog wouldn’t give up so easily. “But you’re Master Zvonix! You’re the greatest leader there ever was! No one else has tried to achieve universal peace and prosperity like you have! No one else has made it as far as you have! I know you were wrongly betrayed, but you still have so much more good to do in your life, and you can help me become who I need to be too!”

Master Zvonix was glad to see that the subtle lies and deceptions he’d told Roog over the last three months had sunk in. Roog was officially another one of his minions. Now it was time to make his minion work. “You are so kind and supportive, Roog. There is nothing I would love more than to get out of this place and continue my plans with you at my side. But I can’t get out of here on my own. I need help.”

Roog looked behind him to make sure no one was watching, but right then the gears started turning and the door started to close. Before it closed all the way Roog said. “I’ll break you out of here, Master Zvonix! We’ll start making our escape plans tomorrow!” The door then closed, shutting off all sound from outside the cell,

Master Zvonix sat on the floor of his cell and a genuine smile came across his face. Three months of hard work paid off. He already had an escape plan made, and now that Roog was on his side he could finally put it into action. If everything else went according to plan, and he was sure it would, he’d be out of there in less than a month. 

“I’m coming for you, Bronxin.” Master Zvonix whispered as he ate his food. “I’m coming for you and those picture taking fools, and I’m going to kill you all. Master Zvonix is back.”